Seven years is a long time away from Reality
by The Emerald Oinker
Summary: Link has opened the Door of Time, returning he finds all of Hyrule has changed. How will Malon forgive him for 'forgetting' to visit in seven years? (trust me it isn't as stupid as it sounds)
1. The Start of a Beautiful Relationship?

(**Green Pig**:- My very first attempt to write a Legend of Zelda fic! All because I found the game again the other day and decided to start a new file… I have yet to complete the dungeon in Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly – I've forgotten what to do!!!! – Anyway, I decided that the game was just so cool that there was a great opportunity to write some fanfiction and I began to type…this has taken me a long time to finally decide to post this, I have more, but as always you have to wait.)

**DISCLAIMER:** lemme see, never done one for this game… er… _'The Legend of Zelda'_, _'Link'_ and all other characters and things from the game _'The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time' _do not belong to me.  I'm just having a little fun.

The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time

Seven years is a long time away from Reality

By Green Pig

The Start of a Beautiful Relationship…?

Lord Jabu-Jabu had been tough, but Link had handled the whole dungeon well enough though it would have been easier if it were not for her highness' incessant comments about his lack of skill and manners.  He'd never come across such a rude and spoilt little girl as she before, what did he know about talking to royals? All his life growing up in the forest with the Kokiri hadn't prepared him for any kind of communication skills with the aristocracy of Hyrule, it was so hard to believe anyone could be so snooty; especially since it was all coming from a fish.

No, not a fish, that was just plain rude to consider the Zoras as ordinary fish, though fishlike the species were as able to think and communicate as well as any Hyrulian, Kokiri or Shiek.  Link climbed back out of Jabu-Jabu's big stinking belly with princess Ruto still babbling on about how much she didn't really approve of his tactics.

_I just saved her life and nearly lost mine and _still_ she goes _on…

They made it to the mouth of lord Jabu-Jabu when suddenly they heard and felt a huge tremor rumbling from within the depths of the fish's great belly, Ruto screamed and flattened herself against the mammoth teeth, Link drew his Kokiro sword swiftly and held up the Hyrulian shield to defend the princess and himself, despite how much she was annoying him right now.  As always though he was ever silent, keeping his thoughts to himself and accepting the wishes of others.  Was he right to keep his opinions to himself and never give his own advice to those who were in confusion over problems he always seemed to find so easy to resolve?

The stomach gurgled but it sounded like the wail of a dying pig, Link screwed up his face; he knew what was about to come.

Lord Jabu-Jabu belched and Link and Ruto went flying.

**"****AAAAAA****AAAAAA****AAAAAAA****AAAAAAA!!"**

He landed on something hard and oddly shaped; it was the big tree half submerged in the surrounding waters of Jabu-Jabu's shrine.  As Link stood up Ruto's big round face with those watery fishy eyes came into view and he fell off the tree in surprise right into the water with a big splash.  Ruto giggled and leapt down to join him, he spluttered briefly and then treaded the water as she swam up to him with all the ease a Zora had.  He wished he could one day be so good in the water, alas; that kind of dream could only be if he one day he suddenly found he was a Zora himself.  _Dream on Link, dream on._

She thanked him wholeheartedly for helping her to retrieve her mother's precious stone and gave it up willingly.

"If you take it from me, that means you'll have to marry me; it's a Zora tradition.  Now you'll have to promise to marry me Link!" _Marriage? To a Zora?!_

Link thought briefly about marrying Ruto and came to the conclusion that when he was old enough to marry anybody she'd have probably forgotten all about him and he'd be away from Hyrule on another quest of some sort.  He had a feeling his life would not be smooth sailing; it was bound to involve more travelling and battling the forces of evil.

Link took the Zora's blue sapphire spiritual stone and left Zora's domain quickly; he had had enough of the Zora's and their Miss-High-and-Mighty princess for one day.

~ ( :: ( :: (:: (:: (:: o ::) ::) :: ) :: ) :: ) ~

Hyrule Field, a vast landscape that spread far and wide and linked all four corners of the world together, at its centre was Lon Lon Ranch, the soul provider of fresh milk and the horses for the royal guard of Hyrule Castle Town.  _Speaking of Lon Lon Ranch,_ Link thought as he left Hyrule Lake and journeyed on quickly down the track, _I've haven't gone to see Malon or Epona in a while._  He decided not to return to the castle at once to hand over the three spiritual stones of Hyrule, in the first time since leaving the Kokiri village, Link put his own wishes before the duty he had been set by fate.  He took a detour to Lon Lon Ranch and decided that tomorrow he would return to princess Zelda.

Malon stood as always in the centre of the horse paddock singing her mother's song she had taught Link to play on his Ocarina.  She smiled wide and clapped her hands when he walked under the arch of the horse paddock and the two quietly felt extremely happy to be with each other again.

"Epona's grown rather fond of you Fairy Boy." Link smiled.  Malon danced and sang.  Although she was a girl of few spoken words, Link didn't speak much either so they didn't feel like they were going to upset the other person by keeping silent.  He stroked the foal's soft white mane and Epona nuzzled her nose into his hands affectionately.  He wondered what it would be like to ride a horse; he really wanted to know if Epona would let him trot about the Ranch with her but as Malon said once again on this occasion: Epona was still too young and Link too inexperienced to ride her.

Night soon came and the wild birds descended once more over the paddock, so after the horses had been stabled and Malon had gone to bed, Link settled himself down in a free spot of comfortable hay and stayed up a few hours after he should have gone to sleep to ponder on the incredible changes to his life so far, whilst looking at the three spiritual stones glowing faintly in front of him.  Until tomorrow he'd have to watch over them like a hawk to prevent any evil forces stealing them in the night.

(**Green Pig**:- Please don't forget to review! ^_^)


	2. Hero of Time

(**Green Pig**:- Part 2 is UP!!! And thank you so much to all my wonderful reviewers of chapter 1!!! It was the first time in months and months that I received more than 2 reviews for something, the happiest thing was that I received these all after this story had been up one night! Thank you so much! I really do live on reviews, this is really sad but I have to say, that getting 4 reviews after one night was so amazingly nice and unusual for me that I almost started crying with joy! _Yes I.C. Fire I just know you're laughing at me now and calling me a pathetic and stupid child but I'm a very sensitive person who just wishes people noticed her more!!!!_…ahem, she knows what I mean. Thank you so much!!! Please don't forget to review!!! Make me happy!!!!)

**DISCLAIMER:** _'The Legend of Zelda'_, _'Link'_ and all other characters and things from the game _'The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time' _do not belong to me.  I'm just having a little fun.

The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time

Seven years is a long time away from Reality

By Green Pig

The Hero of Time

Morning approached and dawn arrived to the sweet chirruping of the birds.

_…Warm rays of sunlight on the back of my neck…_

_…A gentle breeze…_

_…Her soft voice…_

"Do you think we could remain friends forever, Link?"

_Yes, yes I always will._

"Will you visit me more if your quest was over?"

_…When will it end…?_

_…I can't make promises…_

_I promise. I want to see you and Epona,_

_This isn't right,_

_I can't lie to her._

"I want to see you more, Link."

_Yes, yes of course._

_More lies,_

_I shouldn't lie,_

_Not to Malon._

"How old are you Link?"

_Ten, I'm not sure.  The Kokiri don't age, I think I'm ten._

"I'm ten too! We can be best friends! Can we be best friends, Link? Can we?"

_…Yes…_

_Yes._

_Yes._

~ ( :: ( :: (:: (:: (:: o ::) ::) :: ) :: ) :: ) ~

"Hello? Link? Wake up fairy boy!" Link snapped his eyes open and saw Malon standing over him with a bucket full of milk hung over her left arm. "Good morning link! You were really deep in sleep, I think you should get to the castle quick, I heard my papa talk about some sorta trouble up there.  With that new man, Gorndorf or something."

_Ganondorf, yes I can guess what he's up to._

Link didn't waste time, now that it was morning he felt incredibly guilty for leaving his return to princess Zelda so long.  All the time he had spent running around Hyrule, exploring the towns and hidden holes, swimming in the lake and travelling over the field lapping in the sun.  It was all a waste of his limited time yet there seemed to be so much to do and so much time to do it in – he hadn't realised just how long the princess had waited for his return.

"I've got to go Malon, goodbye."

"Goodbye Link! Will you come and see me again soon?"

"Of course! I'll be back tomorrow!"

~ ( :: ( :: (:: (:: (:: o ::) ::) :: ) :: ) :: ) ~

Link ran to the castle as fast as he could, feeling anxious that princess Zelda would get very angry with him for being so late, dark clouds descended over Hyrule.

_A storm… or perhaps, something else?_

He suddenly realised that the castle gate was up but before he could wonder why when it was still daytime – though those clouds certainly made it look like midnight – the rain began to fall and Link felt irritated for having to remain here in the middle of the field when he could have been inside the castle town keeping dry.

The gate opened, hit the other side of the moat with a heavy 'clunk' and then Link heard the horse.

**CLIPITY-CLOP-CLIPITY-CLOP-CLIPITY-CLOP-CLIPITY-CLOP **_(A/N yes I know it's not a very intelligent description but it'll have to do, besides the horse really does sound like that)_

It was the royal horse! There was Impa driving and who was that behind her? It was Zelda! Why were they in such a hurry to escape the town?  Link jumped out of the way of the horse's thundering hooves, he thought to chase after them and find out what was happening but Zelda turned and threw something over her shoulder, it landed in the moat missing the person she had meant to throw it to completely, then they were gone, disappearing into the distance over the field.  Link was confused, worried, then right up behind him a larger, meaner looking horse fastened with silver and black harnesses drew to a halt, snorting loudly and chucking its head up to relieve its tension – obviously the man riding above it had been in hot pursuit of Impa and Zelda.

He looked down and noticed Link for the first time.

"You there! You boy, did you see which direction the royal horse went?" He didn't like this man at all – it was Ganondorf whom Zelda had warned him about before.  Link withdrew his sword and stepped back, ready to fight him if it was needed.  The man with the fiery red hair and cruel malicious eyes began to laugh.

"So… you think to protect them from me?" He laughed again, held up his hand and a black ball of magic formed in his palm, Link had only a few seconds to worry if he could avoid it/deflect it or how much it would hurt, could hurt, if he couldn't avoid it/deflect it.  Too late, it hit him full in the face and he was thrown back across the grass.

"I am Ganondorf! I shall rule this kingdom and no-one, not you; a pathetic little boy, can stop me!" With that he reared up his horse and charged off into the distance hot on the trail of Impa and Zelda.  Link watched, anger and pain welling up inside him, he wanted to curse out loud at the man for being such a jerk but he knew that would only make him angrier.

_What was it she threw to me and fell in the moat?_

Link leapt into the water and fished about for the blue ocarina, the moment he brought it out of the moat he heard princess Zelda's voice and saw, in a vision, the young royal standing before the altar inside the Temple of Time.  She offered him the Ocarina of Time and taught him to play the holy song to open the Door of Time.

When he came back from the vision, he was still floating in the water, but he knew what to do and headed off back into the town to do what princess Zelda had told him to do; open the Door of Time and protect Hyrule from the evil Ganondorf.


	3. She's Not Happy

**_DISCLAIMER:_**_ 'The Legend of Zelda', 'Link' and all other characters and things from the game 'The Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time' do not belong to me. I'm just having a little fun!_

__

**__**

**_Green Pig ~PROUD Hufflepuff~_**_ :- Oopsie – kinda forgot about this didn't I? Well it's not much but I thought I'd better get a new chapter up soon before I completely forget about this! I was busy ok? Busy with my Final Fantasy and Harry Potter fanfiction (which is priority always I'm afraid) and of course the endless amounts of school work ::sigh::_

_I've forgotten the name of the Sage in the Temple of Time – I have NOT played 'Ocarina of time' for quite some time so a lot of this is hazy, I'm sorry but if there are important facts missing or I've written a fact down which is actually wrong please don't flame me, I KNOW…_

_Don't forget to review please and I'll try to get a new chapter up next weekend when I have time (lots of essays to write dammit)_

The Legend of Zelda – Ocarina of Time

Seven years is a long time away from Reality

By Green Pig

She's Not Happy

Link went into the Temple of Time as soon as Zelda's message had ended – he decided that he'd spent too much time ignoring his duty and was very angry with himself.  Link opened the door in the temple and grasped the magnificent sword in the pedestal, but as soon as he did so, Ganondorf's cruel and malicious face came into view.  Link was too angry with himself and Ganondorf to listen very well but he knew that Ganondorf had gained entrance to the Sacred Realm and it was all his fault.

_Seven long and silent years passed by as Link slept…_

…Link was awakened.  The Ancient Sage told him about how he had to keep him safely locked away in sleep for so long, in order to fulfil his destiny as the Hero of Time Link had to be strong enough to wield the sword and fight Lord Ganondorf.  After a lengthily explanation of his task, Link was set free and he found himself back at the Pedestal in the Temple of Time.  Despite the horror described to him by the Sage, the Temple seemed in perfect shape and Link found himself wondering if he really was back in the happy world he'd last seen.  Even though he had been asleep and the seven years had gone by missing him altogether, Link felt weak and tired – he felt the effects of not being awake on his limbs; they were aching and seemingly not used to supporting his weight.

Was this the proof that he had been away for so many years…?

He held the sword in his hand and looked down at his new body.  It felt…odd.  (Link didn't have a clue about the time between being a child and being an adult, so if anyone had tried to explain to him about puberty he would have been really confused – and maybe slightly worried).  His limbs were longer, he stood taller and now he was wearing… tights?!

A shadow passed over his head and he swerved round with sword and shield at the ready – _ah my reflexes are just as good as they used to be!_

"I am Shiek. I am your friend, Link." His voice wasn't very deep and his figure slightly curvier than the men Link could remember seeing when he was a boy, but that was seven years ago and Link's outlook on life was much different than it had been – for one thing he felt kind of silly in white tights (what did they think he was? An elf?).

Link put away his sword and listened to the advice given to him by the stranger called Shiek, when he was done the Stranger stood his ground at the Pedestal and told him that it was not possible for him to return back seven years as a child until he had freed his friend in the Forest Temple.

_Saria! She is the Forest Sage?!_  Link felt stupid for not realising it earlier but vowed to Shiek that he would rescue her and save the Kokori forest from evil – oh yeah he also promised to save everyone else while he was at it.

~ ( :: ( :: (:: (:: (:: o ::) ::) :: ) :: ) :: ) ~

Out on the Hyrule Field, Link's heart was sunk in depression – all of Hyrule Town was overrun with Zombies and the villagers deserted or dead.  It was morning, the Field looked as it had done seven years ago but he could tell there was evil lurking on the field and he was not surprised (well the new enemy had surprised him quite a bit but at least he had expected _something_) when a Poe materialised out of nowhere and began to tease him as he raced to kill it – seven years and at last he got the chance to feed his animal hunger.  Of course as he quickly learnt after a few luckless attempts, the Poes were crafty and annoyingly transparent.

"Hey Link! We've got to save Saria!" Navi twittered, but something in the distance had caught more of his attention; ahead of him was the Ranch. Lon Lon Ranch.  His thoughts immediately turned to Malon and he wondered how old she would be now, or if she would even remember him.

He headed straight for the Ranch, eager to be reunited – the Poes jeered and threw sticks at his back but he ignored them.

When he got to the Ranch he noticed the new sign above the gate – or had it been there all along? He couldn't remember reading the name before but he was sure that seven years ago Ingo was NOT the owner.  His stomach churned – he'd not had breakfast and the Poes had built up an appetite in him – and he walked into the Ranch.

~ ( :: ( :: (:: (:: (:: o ::) ::) :: ) :: ) :: ) ~

Link opened the stable door – it was odd looking down at the knob of the door rather than up at it – and he entered the place he had last slept in before he was locked in Time.

Malon – it had to be Malon – was milking a cow with her back towards him (she hadn't heard him enter).  Her auburn hair was longer than it used to be, plaited and tied so it hung down her back.  She was wearing a simple dress and an overall, a patterned scarf and simple shoes.

Link felt something in him that he had never felt before – of course he was very happy to see her (his old friend – his best friend) again, but this time there was something more than just friendship that had touched his heart.  He felt his knees weaken as she quietly milked the cow, loose strands of hair falling to her pretty cheek.  He suddenly felt very awkward watching her – it was an innocent pastime was it not? What harm was there in standing there and watching?  But now he felt he was possibly looking at her that was past mere innocent affection.

He felt suddenly awkward and couldn't suppress his nervous squeaky burble of: _"Hi, Malon…"_

Malon's head spun round and she fell back in surprise at seeing this stranger in her stable, the cow – assuming the milking was over – mooed loudly and walked back to its usual corner knocking over the bucket of milk that Malon had forgot to move out of its way.

"Oh NOOOOOO!! No! NO! NO! Oh thank you very much, mister!  What the hell d'you think you're doin' sneakin' up on poor folk like that?!"

"I-I'm sorry…" Suddenly Malon clicked.

"Oh my… _Link?_  _Link is that you…?"_ She slowly got to her feet and walked towards him.  He felt his temperature rising as she came closer, he looked into her blue eyes and felt very content being so close to her.

**_*!!SLAP!!*_**

****

"That's for the last seven years!"

"_Ow_, Ma-Malon?"

"You said you'd see me tomorrow and now you come back after _seven years?!"_ She folded her arms and fumed.  "I don't call that very polite behaviour Fairy Boy!"

"Malon I'm sorry Ok? I didn't mean to go, I really didn't s-sorry, sorry ok I'm sorry!"

"I'll give you my forgiveness Link, but you'll have to tell me a pretty darn good story to get it!"

"I have an excuse I promise!"  Link told Malon all that had happened to him and by the time it was mid-afternoon he had her whole attention.

"…Oh Link I'm sorry, sorry I hit you."

"That's alright…" He said brushing his hand to his cheek – the pain had gone a while ago.

"You can stay here tonight if you want but you'll have to make sure Ingo doesn't catch you or else he'll ask for money."

"What happened here? Why does Ingo run the Ranch…Where's your dad?" Malon looked downcast.

"Ingo threw him out.  Yesterday actually.  Ingo said he hadn't been pulling his weight, Ganondorf put Ingo in charge but all he cares about is money and profits! The horses wouldn't be in such good condition if I hadn't decided to stay.  Epona's going to be given to Ganondorf…"

"Why? Did his horse die?"

"No, Epona's just so fast and strong.  She's the best horse in the ranch so Ingo's going to give her to Ganondorf to impress him.  The slimy git!" Link felt anger welling up inside him and a feeling of roguishness rose.

"He won't give her away, because I'm going to free her."

"What?" Malon said surprised.

"I'm going to trick the geezer – I'll get Epona and she can help me save Hyrule from Ganondorf's evil reign, but I'll need lots of money to bride Ingo into a race… If I win I'll keep Epona."

"He'd never do that – Ingo's an idiot but he's not completely stupid."

"Does he like to gamble?"

"Yes, a lot."

"Then I guess I'll have to gamble with him."


End file.
